Movable Zones

[Bayuer]

Ok, this will be a pain in the ass, I think, giving us more problems than it solves:
"When you move a zone, you can’t move it through a solid obstacle."

So when I have a column that block 1x1 square I can't move the zone couse it's blocked? fog can be tricky I see

That gives me another question. Can I crate zone if some of it space will be on tree, colum or a wall squares?

 

[AngryPurpleCyclops]

Where did that quote come from? I think they're trying to say you can't push a zone through a wall. If you move a 5x5 cloud kill down a 15' corridor the zone becomes 3x5 until it gets out of the corridor. So that you can't lock creatures in a room and push the zone through the wall. If a door is open you can move the zone into the room (or at least that's my take on it). Definitely interested in hearing what others have to say.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I agree. The rules for moving zones are just not perfectly well spelled out in the PHB. All the PHB really says is that each square of a wall must share a side with another square of the wall. They never really spell out any rules for moving zones, either walls or just burst type zones. I'd say it is purely intended to point out that zones don't 'flow through' obstacles like a wall and thus if a zone is moved or created in a spot where part of it would overlap into an area that is closed off from the origin square, then it simply doesn't go there (this is already covered for initial creation of the zone by the line of effect rule).

 

[Mort_Q]

(or at least that's my take on it).

That's how I'd read it.

 

[jorrit]

I would play it so that you can only move the zone if there is some opening to get from spot A to spot B, even if you have to cover a few obstacles while moving. So you can indeed not go through a wall but if the wall happens to have a 1-square opening then that would be sufficient to allow a 3x3 zone to move through.

This isn't RAW of course. Just how I would play it.

Greetings,

 

[Bayuer]

This is form PHB2 rules appendix. It says when theres obstacle you can't move zone.

 

[AngryPurpleCyclops]

This is form PHB2 rules appendix. It says when theres obstacle you can't move zone.

I don't have the PHB 2 yet, is there info surrounding this quote that indicates whether it means obstacles that shut the power out from another area or a flag pole standing in the way breaks up the zone and prevents it...

I think it's obvious that it was meant to be (RAI) you can't push it through a wall.

 

[Mort_Q]

Direct quote:

When you move a zone, you can’t move it through a solid obstacle.

Through =/= Around. I think the intent is clear.

 

[MarkB]

Personally, I'd play it that you can't move the origin-square (i.e. the central square) of a zone through a square-filling obstacle - that seems reasonable. The entire area of the zone certainly should not be so restricted.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Through =/= Around. I think the intent is clear.

This. The text is perfectly sound. You can move Zones "through" empty squares and "not through" squares that have solid barriers such as walls or doors. Whether the Zone could flow around both sides the column in the OP's example or must go around left or right probably depends on the Zone's makeup, but I think most Zones are homogeneous clouds that can easily flow around any barrier.